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PROPRIETARY BUSINESS SCHOOLS AND THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES A study prepared for the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare under contract HEW OS-71-134. June 10, 1972. Written by Edward W. Erickson, Watts Hill, Jr., Herbert S. Winokur, Jr., Dixie Atwater and Ursula Guerrieri of ICF Inc., Washington, D.C. Proprietary school students complete their programs far more often than do com- munity college students in general in the schools visited. (About 85-90 percent of all proprietary school students at those schools completed their programs, compared to 25-35 percent of community college students.)" About 85-90 percent of all proprietary school students enrolled at schools we visited completed some pro- gram. The high completion rates at proprietary schools we visited seem to result generally from two factors: • the schools have a definite vocational mission, and design a curriculum which is within the grasp of students; (It is stressed that admissions counselors must encourage well -motivated, able students, and teachers must provide stimulating presentations, and gear the coursework to individual needs of students.) and, • the intensity and brevity of the programs leave little chance that either elapsed or idle time will affect the student's desire or ability to complete. (Students are in class four or five hours a day, five days a week, for one to eight quarters.) MISSION OF PROPRIETARY SCHOOLS Proprietary schools have a single, well-defined mission — specific occupational training aimed toward full- time job placement in the shortest possible time. This objective meets the needs of students, owners, and ad- ministrators. Preparing students for employment — the students' objective — is consistent with owners' and administrators' profit objective. (The profit motive stimulates continuous changes in program offerings and in- struction methods, to reflect changing student demands and labor market conditions.) Local business and in- dustry also are served by this objective because they are provided with a pool of skilled potential employees whose job training has been geared to meet their particular needs. COMPETITION BETWEEN PROPRIETARY SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES In contrast to the well-defined goal of proprietary schools, community colleges are characterized by pressures to serve a wide array of area needs and expectations. Generally, community colleges appear to want to offer an "open door" to all who cannot get in or stay in other post -secondary education institutions, and to help students move in the direction of their choice. These conflicting needs and objectives may deter com- munity colleges from developing effective curricula in any one program area — academic, vocational or ' remedial. Our data indicate that many proprietary business school students have above -average high school academic records and can meet the entrance and academic requirements of four-year or community colleges. These proprietary business school students, however, choose to invest substantial sums for courses that are available at much lower direct cost to the student in public institutions. Students in earlier studies have cited three major reasons for the continuing popularity of proprietary vocational schools: TIME, including (1) shorter course length and (2) more frequent starting points (registration) for classes; COURSE CONTENT, in which the curriculum contributes directly to the development of skills necessary for employment; and PLACEMENT SERVICE, under which proprietary vocational schools endeavor to obtain employment for their graduates. I The above paragraphs are key excerpts from "Proprietary Business Schools and Community Colleges: Resource Allocation, Student Needs, and Federal Policies," a research and evaluation report commissioned by the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare. 1